Super Summer Shortcuts!

Learning Benefits

Speed Up Your Sunblock
Make sure your kiddo is totally sun safe in a flash by using a colored sunscreen. Not only do these formulas help you quickly determine if you missed any spots, they add much-needed fun to the application process. Try Sunbow sunscreens, which incorporate kids’ favorite characters (Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob Squarepants) and squirt out in an array of lively colors (but dry clear). Remember to always use at least SPF 30 and reapply frequently!

Pack a Portable Snack
Prepping snacks for the beach, ball game, or family road trip is a time suck, especially on a sunny day! Give yourself a break by stocking up on healthy (and delicious) pre-made options, like Quaker Chewy Granola Bars. Each one has 8 grams of whole grain, and they come in a variety of kid-friendly flavors (S’mores anyone?).

Do a 10-Minute Craft
Can’t get to the beach or park? Keep the kids entertained all day by making an instant sandbox. It’s so easy! Simply find an old drawer, a Tupperware container, or any other vessel of your choosing, then take it outside and pour in a bag of sand. Hand the kids their shovels and toys and watch them dig in!

Streamline Your Workout
You’d rather log time in a hammock than at the gym during the warm months — and who can blame you? But before you take a nap, take 15 minutes (yes, 15 minutes!) for a power walk in the neighborhood. Even better, bring the kids and catch up on what happened at day camp. It’s an energy-boosting/bonding two-fer!

Put Dinner on the Table in No Time
No one wants to toil over a hot stove during the summer. Luckily, you don’t have to! Let kids “make” their own meal with a DIY taco bar. Just pick up a rotisserie chicken and shred the meat, then set it out along with taco shells and bowls of shredded cheese, avocado, guacamole and salsa as a buffet. (You can pair with a super-easy side like instant rice or corn on the cob.) Kids will love assembling their own creations, and you can take a well-deserved night off!